Second Chances
by Blu3 Fir3
Summary: Five heroes from the Kingdoms of Valor (Dragon continent AU with its own history), Vale, Vacuo, Mistral, and Atlas must band together to stop the world from falling into ruin. AU, graphic violence, gore, sexual content, etc. ***ON INDEFINITE HIATUS***
1. Chapter 1

RWBY Fanfiction #1: Second Chances

 ***Disclaimer: All credit for RWBY and its associated products, characters, plot, etc. go to RoosterTeeth and of course Monty Oum, may he rest in peace. I own nothing except for whatever characters I pull out of my thinking cap. Enjoy!**

 **Chapter One: Fall of the Aerie Part I**

"All fourth-year students, please report to the arena at once. Graduation exams are in fifteen minutes."

A brisk voice echoed through the speakers in the stone hallways of the Aerie, a school for training aviary Faunus in the northern reaches of Valor. Valor was located to the north of Vacuo, and to the west of Vale, and at one point controlled the entire continent. But, poor leadership combined with a spiraling economy led the Kingdom to economic ruin. Its "King" was now little more than a figurehead, and the real power rested in the hands of the Senatorial Council who squeezed the Valorian people for every ounce of Lien they owned. A sleuth of catastrophic events including rebellion, famine, and disease helped to foster a mass exodus of many people who left Valor to seek their fortunes elsewhere. The result? A society on the brink of self-destruction. The Aerie was relatively untouched by these events, but that was only because they were self-sufficient, and able to act independently of the rest of the Kingdom. But even that wouldn't last forever...

"I repeat, all fourth-year students report to the arena at once." The voice said before the speakers cut off.

Yawning widely, twenty-one-year-old Evan Angelus opened his eyes, and rubbed the sleep from them. He stretched his legs, and got up from the stone bench he was sleeping on. Groaning, he cracked his neck to the side and ran a long-fingered hand through his messy, dark violet hair. Across from the bench was a table of smooth, toffee-colored wood with tools, spare parts, and scrap metal scattered all over it like seashells on the beach. The Aerie's armory was a mess in itself with three-dimensional Dust printers shoved against one, cracked stone wall, and a traditional forge in the center of the room. The other wall was taken up by lockers painted dark green, and filled to the brim with the personal belongings of students while the fourth wall was composed of a chalkboard, the professor's desk, and a door of thick wood, blackened from years of smoke pouring out of the forge.

Evan trudged over to the other side of the room, and popped open his own locker. He rummaged through it till he found a pack of cigarettes and a small lighter. He ripped off the packaging, pushed out a cigarette, and ignited it. The acrid smoke coiled around his thin, olive-toned face, but Evan sighed with relief at the familiar scent.

"That's better. Now, what time is it?"

He shoved the lighter into the pocket of his khakis, and pushed back the sleeve of his double-breasted, gray trench coat to reveal a cheap wristwatch. It read: 11:45 am.

"11:45, eh?" Evan blew out a trail of smoke then sputtered as he realized his mistake. "Wait, what?! 11:45?!"

Evan tossed his cigarette aside, and squashed out the end with his black combat boot before racing over to his locker. He grabbed a pair of violet leather gloves, shoving them into his pocket, and clipped an orange rectangular pouch to the side of his thin black belt then strapped a long, metallic silver case to the back of his waist. He slammed the locker shut, and wrenched the door open. It banged against the wall as Evan ran out the room, across the hall, and down two flights of stairs.

Heart pounding, legs burning, and hair askew Evan sprinted through the corridors. He skidded across the freshly scrubbed floor, and rounded the corner of the current hallway before streaking past a gaggle of giggling girls. His current predicament was his own fault though for staying up all night to redesign his weapon. Regardless, Evan knew it would be worth it, so long as he made it in time for his final exam. As he turned another corner, Evan nearly collided with a black mustached man pushing a trolley cart.

"Sorry about that!"

The man started to say something, but Evan was already gone. Gasping for breath, Evan ran down another flight of stairs, and arrived at the entrance to the arena. Doubled over for breath, he coughed several times before pushing open both double doors. The roar of the crowd nearly knocked him off his feet, for the ovular steel-and-stone structure was filled to the brim with families, faculty, and younger students. Even though attendance was not mandatory by students, the sheer volume of the crowd led Evan to suspect a certain friend of his to be the reason for such a turnout. Evan smiled as he looked past the crowd, and spotted the man himself frantically waving a hand towards him.

Aquillan Vermillion. The crown prince of Valor. Evan remembered the first day they met four years ago…

* * *

Warm sunlight beat down on Evan's neck as he ran past the fruit trees of the orchard. Outside of the arena, the Aerie owned an expansive orchard that stretched all the way to the town of Atlia in the distance. The orchard provided food during the harsh winter months for both locations though it also attracted wild beasts drawn the sweet scent of its fruits. The strap of the messenger bag around Evan's chest chafed his skin as he turned a corner, and disappeared further into the trees. He stopped, and waited to listen for his pursuers. Nothing.

Sighing with relief, he pulled off the bag and set it aside on the bright green grass. A soft breeze gently blew across the trees, rustling their leaves, and cooling Evan's overheated body. Laying back against the grass, Evan stared up at the brilliant blue sky above and watched the clouds lazily crawl across the sky. At seventeen years old, Evan was barely five feet tall, and so thin that his gray, double-breasted trench coat practically swallowed his body whole. The orange graphic tee he wore hung loosely over his body, as did his khakis which he kept up with an old length of rope. He was already bullied back at the tiny orphanage he called home, but he figured the Aerie would be better. Wrong. It was even worse here, and the professors did nothing to stop it.

 _Might as well take a look at my loot_. Evan thought as he picked up the messenger bag. He popped off its locks, and poured out dozens of sealed envelopes; letters from home to various students. _There's got to be something for me here!_ Evan thought as the letters continued to gush from the bag like the fountain of promised youth. He pulled out a pocketknife, and grabbed the nearest one. Hastily, he tore it open, and examined its contents.

 _My Dearest Allura,_

We are most pleased to hear that –

 _Nope_. Evan shoved the letter back into its packaging, and picked up another. This one was actually addressed to the receiver on the outside.

Mr. Elliot Coromant

Room 432, The Aerie, White Nest Hall

 _Nada_. Evan tossed the letter away, and picked up a third letter. It was unmarked, and the envelope was made of sleek, black paper. _Way too fancy_. He picked up another letter. This one was pink with violet floral patterns along it. Evan ripped it open, and found a crisp set of one hundred Lien bills along with a white diamond pendant. He considered taking both, but decided against it. _I'm no thief._ The letter wasn't addressed to him, but to "Miss Luna Silkroft". Throwing this letter aside, he opened another letter. And another. And another. And…

"Come on, where is it?" Evan muttered, tucking a few strands of hair behind his ear as he did so.

The orchard had grown quiet as the sun rose higher in the sky. It was a little past midday, and the heat was scorching. Yet, Evan was more concerned about his growing fear that there wasn't anything for him. All around him lay discarded envelopes, some of which had been shredded to pieces in his haste to open them. He knew that the only people that could send him anything weren't able to do so, but he refused to give up. Everyone else at the Aerie received at least one letter from home per month, but Evan never got anything. It had been three solid months, and he was beginning to wonder if they had forgotten him. To matters worse, Evan was still unable to gain any friends. He knew why though. Money. Everyone here at the Aerie came from a wealthy family that bought their way in, but Evan managed to get in through smarts alone which didn't sit well with anyone here. Status sometimes determined how others treated you, and that was especially true here.

Frustrated, Evan ran his hands through his hair, and picked up the nearest letter. He leaned back against a nearby tree, and slowly began to tear the letter apart. The sound was carried throughout the orchard due to its location; a deep valley that created powerful echoes. As a result, Evan began to feel better as he destroyed the letter, and he sighed with pleasure. However, a voice broke him out of his reverie.

"Did you hear that?"

"Yes, it sounded like someone ripping apart paper." Another voice replied.

"I think that bastard's still here." The first said. "He must be trying to get rid of the evidence! Come on! He's got to be close by!"

Evan froze, and looked around him. _Shit, they found me._ He jumped to his feet, the letters rustling and crunching beneath them as he began to run.

"There he is! Get him!"

"Nonononononono." Evan muttered, branches snapping against his face, and neck as he climbed up the nearest tree.

"He's in that tree! Somebody shoot him down!"

There was a soft whine as a gun was charged up. Evan desperately grabbed at even the thinnest branches as he struggled to pull himself up higher, and out of their range. But, in his haste to ascend, he placed his foot on the wrong branch, and it snapped into pieces. Evan yelped as he was left dangling from the tree, one hand holding onto a particularly thick limb. If he could just get his other arm over the branch, he might have a chance –

Pain flashed over his body as something white-hot slammed into the back of his waist. Evan gasped as his grip loosened, and released its hold on the tree branch. He briefly saw the sky above him. It was a brilliant shade of blue with only a sparse scattering of clouds here and there. But the majestic view was cut short as he crashed through the branches, and fell to the grass in a crumpled heap. Panting, Evan started to get up, but was roughly dragged to his feet. Someone grabbed his arms, and held them behind his back while another person cracked their knuckles.

Evan licked his bloody lips, and looked up at his punisher. A tall, broad fourth-year with sharp green eyes, and cerulean hair that framed his face. He wasn't ugly, or despicably good-looking like the bullies in cartoons. He was actually quite normal with a decent set of teeth, a slightly squashed nose, and a rather strong jawline. He pushed his hair from his eyes, and spoke slowly.

"Did you really think you could get away with what you did? Stealing those letters. And, trying to destroy the evidence to hide your crime? First-years, these days." He shook his head. "I really hate that I have to be the guy to do this, but rules are rules. 'All fourth-year Hall Monitors are tasked with punishing wrongdoers in their halls however they see fit.'"

He spat out a globule of spit to the side. "I really hate this fucking rule, and I hate that I have to do this to you. But, I've got no choice but to do it."

He swung his fist, and Evan groaned as he felt one of his ribs crack like balsa wood. Gasping in pain, Evan stared at the grass which seemed to be spinning around him in a slow, rhythmic pattern. Another blow, and another rib was broken. When the third blow fell, he nearly passed out from the pain. But, he gritted his teeth, and forced himself to stay conscious. He wasn't going to give up that easily. The minutes dragged on, and the pain became a dull, throbbing sensation that spread throughout his body. It was a feeling that never left, but never got worse either. A never-ending pain. _Make it stop, please. Please, make it stop._ Evan wasn't sure if he spoke these words aloud, or not but that day the universe answered his plea for help.

"Hey!"

"Huh? Oh, Aquillan. What's up, man?" The blows stopped, but the pain remained.

Evan blearily looked up at his savior, but he could only see a blurry figure through his bruised eyelids. The sunlight was more mellow in its warmth while the sound of crickets chirping and the swishing of the leaves filled the air in a tranquil melody.

"Stop. He's had enough."

"I'm the Hall Monitor, and I don't get to stop till he passes out which for the past four hours, he's refused to do."

The figure stepped forth, revealing itself to be a tall, well-built boy around Evan's age with windswept, dark red spiky hair, a dark tan, and stern gray eyes. He was dressed casually in a red-and-black plaid short-sleeved shirt with the top three buttons undone to reveal the white muscle shirt underneath. The shirt was stretched taut by the boy's musculature, and the casual image was complemented by his threaded beige belt, faded blue jeans, and tan work boots. He grinned at Evan upon catching his eye, and strode towards him till their faces were inches apart.

"Guess I'll just knock him out, for you than."

He raised a fist, and Evan tensed in preparation for the blow as Aquillan began to charge up his fist with his Aura. When he released it, Evan felt no pain, for the blow was so swift that his body barely recognized it as such. Immediately after this, Evan slipped away into unconsciousness…

* * *

 _The Next Morning..._

"Hey." Evan said as he limped his way through out of the health room the next morning, and spotted Aquillan leaning against the wall outside.

"Hey."

"So…thanks." Evan shifted his feet, and scratched the back of his neck with one hand. It was awkward talking to his savior now.

Aquillan waved a hand, and replied, "It was nothing."

As he started to walk away, hands in his pockets, Evan realized something he wanted from the other boy.

"H-hey! Wait!"

"Yeah?" Aquillan stopped, and turned his head to look back at Evan.

"Maybe we should properly introduce ourselves?" Evan held out hand.

Aquillan smiled, and turned around to take it, his hand covering Evan's entirely. "Aquillan Vermillion, crown prince of Valor."

"Evan. Evan Angelus." He tried to shake his arm, but Aquillan's grip was too strong for him to move. Grinning, Aquillan shook Evan's entire arm, leaving him disoriented as he let go.

Shaking his head to reorient himself, Evan asked, "Do you think…do you think we could be friends?"

Aquillan considered it, tilting his head to the side. "Hmm…sure, why not? You look like you need a friend to stop you from doing stupid shit like that."

Evan scowled, and retorted, "I didn't do it for fun."

"Really? Than, why did you do it?" Aquillan moved closer.

The other boy towered over him, but Evan held his ground as he replied,

"Because…because I wanted a letter. From someone back home…even…even if there's nobody there."

Aquillan blinked, surprised. "That's it?" He scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm… You sure that you've got no one back home?"

"Yes…why?"

"No reason." Aquillan shrugged, putting his hands into his pockets. "But you seriously have no one at all? This includes criminals too, you know." Aquillan waited, his eyes keenly observing Evan.

"Y-yeah…no one…not even criminals." Evan muttered the last part, hoping his lie would slip by the other boy.

"Uh-huh. We'll see about that." Aquillan grinned at Evan, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

"What do you mean?" Evan asked, confused.

Aquillan clapped a hand on Evan's shoulder, and shook his body. "You'll see; you'll see very soon."

* * *

 _Six Months Later…_

"So, remember how we first met?"

Evan looked over at Aquillan, surprised to see his friend sitting up. They were in the orchard, lying under the trees, and enjoying the early spring weather after a series of brutal midterm exams.

Evan nodded. "Yeah, why?" He sat up as well, wrapping his thin arms around his knees.

"Well…I know I said that you'd understand soon enough…but it took a lot longer to find these people than I thought." Aquillan pulled out a sheaf of letters, six in total.

"Here you go, man. Letters from home, just like you wanted." He handed them to Evan who gingerly took them into his hands.

"But…how?"

Aquillan grinned, and jabbed a thumb at his chest. "Well, I _am_ the crown prince of Valor, so I have access to the records of every single person in the Kingdom. And, I noticed that you acted kind of suspicious when I mentioned criminals as friends. So, after gathering information through some rather unsavory sources, I eventually I found these suckers, and got them to write you some heartfelt letters. They agreed to do it till you graduate."

"I-I don't know what to say…" Evan picked up one of the letters, and examined it. It was made from old-fashioned paper, thick and waxy. It was scented with lavender, roses, and cinnamon. He breathed it in, and smiled slowly at the familiar smell.

Aquillan gestured towards the letters. "Just read 'em. That's all I want. No thanks necessary."

Slowly, Evan pulled out his pocketknife, and cut the letter open. He pulled out three sheets of soft white paper with words written in an elegant calligraphy. It was hers, all right. _The Queen wrote these words…she wrote them for me._ And, Evan began to read the letters…

* * *

Shoving his hands into the pockets of his trench coat, Evan smiled at the memory. He strode across the path leading to the main portion of the arena which was comprised of a rectangular turf field with bleachers at either end. Leaning against one of these, Aquillan struck an impressive, yet laidback pose as he swept his long locks of spiky dark red hair from his eyes. Over the years, Evan and Aquillan had both grown in height till they were barely a few inches apart at six foot, two and six foot, four respectively. Yet, out of the two of them, Aquillan remained the stronger while Evan was always faster.

"Nice of you to join us." He gestured towards the rest of the fourth-years. Evan did a double take, surprised to see only a handful of students present.

"Where's everybody else?"

"They didn't make it this far." Aquillan said, matter-of-factly, adjusting the collar of his red-and-black plaid shirt.

 _No surprise there._ Evan thought considering how he barely scraped through his own exams.

"And Luna?"

"She's over there." Aquillan jerked his head towards where Luna Silkroft sat on the bleachers, loading her massive, three-pronged shield with Dust. She chewed on a strand of her long, dark blonde hair, her red eyes narrowing upon meeting Evan's green ones. A pang resounded through Evan's chest at the sight, but he managed to hold her gaze for a few seconds before she turned away.

"Great, just great…" He looked at Aquillan whose corded, muscular arms were crossed over his chest as he raised his eyebrows at Evan's tone.

"What? She's your ex now, remember?"

"Doesn't mean it still doesn't hurt." Evan replied as he sat down on the bleacher beside Aquillan, and unstrapped his own weapon from the back of his waist. Nearby, Luna finished loading her shield, and transformed it into its secondary form, a two-handed zweihander.

"Anyways, girls aside, why were you late? You're usually on time for exams."

"Well… I wanted to come prepared for the fight, so I did a little tinkering last night…" Evan held up his compound bow with a flourish. "And now I present to you, the new and improved Celestibus Ira."

Evan handed the weapon to his friend who examined it with a critical eye. "These are new." Aquillan indicated the twin, flanged pieces of silvery metal that formed either end of the bow, and were affixed to a curved jet-black grip. "And, this is interesting…" He ran a finger along the large, circular neon green piece that was attached to the inner curve of the bow's upper and low limbs.

"Ammo clips, so I don't need to pull out an arrow each time I shoot. I replaced the original firing system with a semi-automatic feed that uses collapsible bolts." Evan explained as he opened the pouch on the side of his belt, and pulled out another clip, this one a fiery orange. "These are explosive ones. I've toned down the power, so they can't kill on impact. But these…" He held up a second clip that was a burnished red in color. "Are another story. They're meant to kill."

"Uh-huh, keep those ones in the bag where they belong. I'd rather not die just yet."

Evan rolled his eyes, and placed the clips back in their pouch before taking back his bow.

"Pretty cool though, right?"

"Yeah, but you're still outgunned by…" Aquillan furrowed his brow, and examined their competition. "Her, him, that guy next to him, the girl across from her, Luna, and myself, of course."

Evan looked at each person he indicated, and snorted.

"Very funny, man."

"What? I didn't include Charlotte." Aquillan nodded his head towards the nervous, orange-haired woman, Charlotte Rouge, sitting to next to Luna.

As Evan watched Charlotte drop her weapon, a double-barreled pistol that discharged a blast of red Dust in her face and knocked off her square-framed glasses. She crawled around on the ground, and bumped her head against the bleachers much to the amusement of her peers.

"Seriously?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Aquillan unsealed his own weapon, a bastard sword with a silvery-blue blade that tapered to a curved, razor-sharp point. Aquillan wrapped his deeply tanned fingers around its mercury-colored hilt, the cobalt lines engraved into its sides, gleaming in the bright sunlight. He spun the blade at his side, and dealt several swift blows to an imaginary foe.

"On the other hand, _I_ have nothing to worry about except one particularly feisty moth."

Before Evan could respond, the sharp voice of Headmistress Gwendolen Augusta reverberated throughout the arena.

"Attention! All combatants to your place!"

Sealing his weapon at his side, Aquillan grinned widely at Evan.

"Expect no mercy from me."

"Me either." Evan retorted, replacing his own weapon across the back of his waist.

"Just checking to make sure you hadn't gone soft at the last minute." Aquillan smirked, and clapped Evan on the shoulder. The immense force of the blow nearly knocked Evan off his feet, but he held firm.

"Understandable."

They turned away from each other, and went their separate ways. As the volume of the crowd died down, the seven students stood at the end of the field, equally spaced apart. Evan's heart pounded even faster than earlier while a jittery feeling spread to the tips of his fingers. He took a deep breath, and unzipped his coat to reveal the bright orange graphic tee underneath. Evan then pulled on his leather gloves, and exhaled through his mouth. It was nearly spring, but the air still felt quite chilly on his skin.

"Wings out!"

Evan extended his wings slowly from his back. The crowd gasped upon catching sight of them. His wings were those of a fire falcon, one of the rarest amongst all aviary Faunus. Blazing orange feathers, streaked with gold, and dusted with red made his wings look like they were on fire as the sunlight passed through their semi-transparent layers.

"Show off." Aquillan muttered before spreading his own, equally eye-catching wings. They were almost completely clear, save for the faded pale blue streaks running over his upper feathers. The wings of a frost eagle, a type no less common than that of his friend's.

Evan ignored him, and transformed Celestibus Ira into an elegant, cut-and-thrust sword with the ammo clips fusing together to form the guard of the weapon while the grip retained its original purpose. He held the weapon at his side, the tip poised diagonally to the left of his body.

"Begin!"

 _ ***A/N: As you can see I changed quite a bit about the story as a whole. Any feedback is appreciated as always. Also, big thanks to CushionySiren3 for all the help he/she has given me. Check out their work if you get a chance! Till next time, blaze on people.**_


	2. Chapter 2

RWBY Fanfiction #1: Second Chances

 ***Disclaimer: All credit for RWBY and its associated products, characters, plot, etc. go to RoosterTeeth and of course Monty Oum, may he rest in peace. I own nothing except for whatever characters I pull out of my thinking cap. Enjoy!**

 **Chapter Two: Fall of the Aerie Part II**

Meanwhile, a plan was being set into motion. The wheels of his trolley cart squeaked as the black mustached janitor turned the corner of the hall, and came to a stop outside the rusted iron elevator grille. He pressed the switch for up then waited, whistling a merry tune as he did so. A soft ding echoed through the hall as the grille pulled back, allowing the janitor to push his cart into the small compartment. He clicked the button for the top floor, and rocked back and forth on his heels as the old-fashioned dial at the top of the elevator ratcheted gradually past each floor number.

The constant creak of gears, and the occasional shudder were the only sounds in the tiny room. The lights flickered, casting long shadows over the wood paneling on the walls as well as the painted gold railing behind the janitor's portly form. The janitor checked his watch, and looked up at the dial. The dial was between floors ninety-three and ninety-four. He watched as it slowly slid to floor one hundred, the final floor. There was another soft ding, and the grille pulled back at last.

Pushing his cart forward, the janitor walked across the roof of the Aerie. It was a wide, flat space with few features excluding a cluster of satellite dishes at one end, and a single air conditioning unit that hummed noisily. With no barriers of any sort, a fierce wind buffeted the janitor, forcing him to shove his hat into his pocket as he gazed around him. The sky seemed so close that he could almost touch it, the wispy puffs of cloud appearing to be mere inches from his face. All around the main tower of the Aerie were mountains that pierced the heavens, and easily dwarfed the entire school in size. The janitor strode to the edge of the roof and spotted an ovular shape, the arena, far below at the base of the tower. Beyond it, rows upon rows of trees dotted the landscape, and stretched to the outskirts of the town of Atlia. The mountain air was cold, but fresh, filling his body with vigorous energy as he breathed it in.

After scouring the entire roof for any signs of life, the janitor returned to his cart, certain no one would interrupt him. He popped off the lid of the yellow trash bag on his cart, and let loose a sharp whistle. A pair of albino rabbit ears sprung out of the bag, followed by a top hat with a red bow on it. Next, came the rotund form of an old, gray-bearded man wearing a black jacket richly embroidered with golden thread, a fine white dress shirt, a silky black bow, clean black trousers, and a pair of gigantic, diamond-buttoned slippers. At his side, a small, silver-and-gold pocket watch ticked away. The man's body expanded to twice its size as he hopped out of the bag, and brushed himself with a feather duster that he pulled from his pocket. Huffing, and puffing, the man gazed with wide eyes at their surroundings.

"What a marvelous view! Almost too good to be true!"

"Yep." The janitor grunted.

The rabbit-eared man gave the janitor a sharp look. "You can drop the disguise, you know. There's no one up here, but us."

"Can't be too sure." The janitor replied, scratching his chin.

"Suit yourself." The man shrugged, and looked up at the mountains to the west of the Aerie which were far taller than those to the east. "Let's get to work, shall we?"

The janitor nodded, and opened a small compartment on the side of his cart. He grunted as he hefted out a large, metallic black box that resembled a radio. He placed it on the ground, and clicked the button on the top. The box expanded till it was several times its original size, and now resembled a high-tech sound system. The janitor pressed another button that caused a keyboard to flip up in place of the mixing board. The janitor typed out a few commands, causing a holographic screen to pop up in front of the keyboard that showed the interior of the mountain. His companion eyed the screen warily.

"Is that it?" He pointed a stubby finger at the center of the screen where a strange shape like the body of a large snake rested inside the core of the mountain.

The janitor nodded. "You think you can do it?"

The other man shifted nervously.

"Yes…are you certain this is the only way?"

The janitor shrugged, and spat out a glob of tobacco into the wind.

"I've tried everything else I could cook up."

"Very well then." He sighed, his rabbit ears drooping.

The man then strode across the roof, and flicked open his pocket watch. Instead of displaying numbers, it showed a swirling mass of glimmering lights and thick vapor on its face. The man pressed his index finger into the center of the watch face, and spun it around till the mass began spin so fast that it became a solid, glowing mass of multicolored energy. The man's crimson eyes flicked up to watch as the mountains groaned, and the tower beneath them shuddered. The janitor watched the screen as the creature inside the mountain began to stir. Eventually, the screen flashed up a message: "Revitalization Complete".

"It's done, Dodgson." The man flicked a switch, and a new image popped up on the screen, this time showing the interior of the Aerie's main tower. "Get to work on weakening the tower. Focus right below the center."

The other man, Dodgson Wonderglass turned around, and nodded. This time, he raised the pocket watch high, and pressed two fingers firmly into the center of the watch face. The tower shuddered once more then let loose a low groan. A green glow surrounded Wonderglass's body as energy coursed through the tower, and weakened its supports. The janitor watched his screen till another message appeared on it: "Destabilization Complete".

"Phase Two is complete. Let's get outta here."

"Such a pity. All those children… They're all going to die, aren't they?" Wonderglass glanced back at his companion who rolled his eyes.

"Just get in the damn bag, Dodgson."

Shaking his head, Wonderglass put away his pocket watch, and hopped back into the trash bag.

"Are you ready, Alastor?"

"Just about." Alastor typed out another command then shut down the computer. He stored it back into its compartment before closing the lid of the trash bag.

Rolling the cart towards the door, Alastor waited for the elevator to take them back down. Once inside, he peeled off his mustache, and stuffed it into a small duffel bag he pulled out of the recycling bag. Pulling off the bald cap on his head, Alastor shook his long, pale silver locks of hair from his eyes, the lavender streaks in it appearing blue in the elevator lights. Next, he stripped off his brown overalls to reveal a very different outfit.

A faded white high-collared shirt emblazoned with a stylized silver heart over the insignia of Valor, a green fist clenching the white moon of Remnant, a dusted black vintage winter jacket, and a pair of plain white slacks. Alastor pulled off his tan work boots, and pulled on a pair of sleek, high-heeled white boots with conclave indentations along the sides. He tore off the latex mask on his face, his deformed features replaced by a narrow jawline, a straight, flat nose, and thin eyebrows. Popping out his contacts enabled his vivacious blue eyes to burn freely with a striking intensity. Lastly, he deflated the rubber suit he wore under his clothes, and took it off as well. A tall, wiry build now displaced that of the janitor he disguised himself as.

"Much better." Alastor murmured as he put his clothes back on.

A soft ding resounded throughout the room. The grille pulled back to reveal a few younger students standing outside it. They gaped at the sight of Alastor who gave them a gentle smile.

"We can't have you spoiling the fun, now can we, kids?"

He flicked his wrist causing his hand to be engulfed in bluish-black smoke. Alastor extended his palm flat in front of his face, and softly blew the smoke over the teenagers' bodies. All four teens fell to the floor in a deep sleep, yet they shivered uncontrollably as they lay on the ground. Alastor kicked their bodies into the elevator, and opened the lid of the trash bag. Wonderglass stepped out, and shook his head upon catching sight of their shaking forms.

"Was there no other way?"

Alastor replied,

"Perhaps, but such is the fate of those that stand in our way. Remember that, Dodgson."

He pushed the cart into the elevator right next to the bodies. Before he closed the grille, he unscrewed the lid of the cleaning fluid containers on either side of the cart. The sharp scent of gasoline wafted over the room as Alastor pulled out a lighter, and flicked it on. He tossed it into the room before closing the grille, and clicking the button for floor fifty. They wouldn't make it to floor ten.

"Let's go." Alastor turned away, and zipped up his jacket.

Behind him, Wonderglass sadly watched the dial go past floor two. He took off his hat, and gave a short bow. Replacing it on his head, he scrambled after his companion out the doors of the entrance hall. Barely a minute later, a massive explosion shook the entire third floor, followed by a horrendous crash of metal on metal as the elevator fell three floors into the ground. Smoke poured out of the grilles, and filled the entrance hall. Faculty and students alike rushed to the scene as a deep, piteous moan resounded through the building. In truth, this was only the beginning of the end for them…

* * *

Twisting his body to the side, Evan dodged the spiked ball at the end of his opponent's flail. Roy Gryphon, a brawny, ebony-skinned fourth-year cursed as he missed the nimble flier yet again.

"Stay still, damn you!"

Picking up speed as he ascended towards the top of the arena, Evan ignored Roy, and loaded Celestibus with a stun bolt. After nearly knocking a fellow student through the scoreboard with one of his non-lethal explosive arrows, Evan had been docked sixteen points on his final exam score, and was told to use only stun bolts. Evan sighed, and reminded himself to let bygones be bygones.

Evan pulled back his bowstring, the arrow automatically extending from the clip via the feed system. The arrow laid against the arrow rest as Evan pulled it flush against his chest, and barely missed Roy due to a sudden gust of wind. _Dammit._ Roy laughed, and swung his flail up at Evan. Evan abruptly dived towards Roy, and launched three arrows in rapid succession. Only one made it through, but it was enough to knock Roy out of the exam. Evan watched him fall as he plummeted into the ground, unconscious.

A sudden flash of red light alerted him to an attack on his left. Evan dodged out of the way, and flapped his wings, hovering in place till he was directly across from his foe.

"Looks like it's just you and me, eh?" Evan said as the wind tore at his clothes and ruffled his hair.

"Looks like it." Aquillan remarked, both hands wrapping around the handle of his sword. "Now then…come at me!"

Aquillan darted forwards as he flicked a button at the base of his sword's guard. The circular opening near the base of his sword's blade began to glow with green light as Aquillan swung his sword. The light coated the length of the sword as Aquillan launched an arc-shaped blast of howling green wind toward Evan.

"You'll have to do better than that!" Evan yelled as he dodged the blast.

Swerving to the left, Evan spun around to face Aquillan then shot a volley of arrows towards his foe. Aquillan swung his sword again, and knocked the arrows away. _Looks like ranged combat is out. Guess we've got to get in close, after all._ Evan observed as he pirouetted through the air to avoid another blast of wind Dust.

"Quit being a little bitch, and get over here!" Aquillan roared as his sword began to glow with blue light.

"I could say the same to you!" Evan retorted, transforming his bow into its sword form.

He held his blade at his side in his preferred battle stance; the tip facing diagonally to the left of his body, his left hand behind his back. Several strands of violet hair obscured his vision, so Evan brushed them away with one hand. Aquillan gritted his teeth, and gripped his sword with both hands, the blade poised diagonally across his chest with the tip facing to the left. He twisted the flat of the blade, so that it lay on its side. A sudden breeze grasped at their clothing, ruffling their hair. Both men took a deep breath, and gazed into the others' eyes.

With a yell, Aquillan struck first with a powerful downstrike. Evan's muscles strained at the force of the blow, but he managed to block it. As Aquillan slashed and missed, Evan dropped several feet to swipe at Aquillan's legs. Evading the strike, Aquillan thrust his blade downwards, and released a pulse of luminous scarlet Aura. Evan snapped out his wings, and pushed away to avoid the attack. He looked up, and squinted through the sunlight as Aquillan rammed into him. Sparks flew across their blades as they pressed against each other.

 _I need to create some distance between us!_

Evan pressed a button on the side of Celestibus Ira's grip that caused one of the ammo clips to prematurely detonate its entire payload. Electrical energy coursed through his weapon's blade, and Evan kicked the stunned Aquillan away. Wiping the sweat from his brow, Evan lunged forward, and unleashed a dazzling display of swift blows at his foe.

Struggling to block Evan's strikes, Aquillan coated his sword with red Dust, and slammed his sword against Evan's. _Shit!_ Evan pulled back too late, and was caught in a fiery explosion that erupted between them as their blades met. Evan's body spun through the air till he slammed into the ground, his sword landing several feet away.

Groaning, Evan dragged himself along the ground while the roar of the crowd's cheers pounded into his ears. _It's not going to be that easy to beat me._ Evan thought as he watched Aquillan do a victory lap around the arena. Earlier in the fight, Aquillan managed to knock Luna out by surprising her from behind, removing his only real competition from the exam. After that, it was inevitable for the two of them to meet in a one-on-one battle like this.

"Guess it's time to go all out." Evan said, wiping the dirt and ash off his clothes before grabbing his weapon.

As he got to his feet, Evan rose to meet Aquillan once more. But, this time he activated his Semblance, Divine Theft. Pulsing violet geometric patterns raced across his skin while a circle of white light flashed over his chest. Evan shifted his body just enough to dodge Aquillan's next strike while grabbing his friend by the front of his shirt with one hand. A warm feeling spread through Evan's body through the hand on his friend's shirt. Aquillan managed to kick Evan away, but Evan smiled slowly as he rolled through the air, and righted himself with a twitch of his wings. Mission accomplished.

Lowering himself a few feet till he was face-to-face with Evan, Aquillan eyed his foe warily. Evan knew that Aquillan would be more cautious now that his Semblance was in his opponent's hands especially since he knew this was Evan's one and only trump card against him.

"Your Semblance is Aura amplification, isn't it?" Evan remarked as he examined the swirling orb of red energy in the palm of his hand. "Let me show what's really possible with it."

Unamused, Aquillan raised his blade to strike as he retorted,

"We'll just see about that!"

With a snarl, Aquillan raced forwards, his blade thrusting forward into Evan's chest. Evan gasped as the wind was knocked out of his lungs, and he was nearly sent into the ground again. Thankfully, his Aura bore the brunt of the attack, but Evan reminded himself that even without his Semblance, Aquillan was still a powerful opponent. He righted himself in the air, and clenched his fist, crushing the orb in his hand to pieces. A surge of power filled his body to the brim as Evan activated the stolen Semblance. The patterns on his body flashed violet once more, and Evan shot past Aquillan so fast that his opponent was left disoriented, and confused.

"Where did he go?" Aquillan muttered, scratching his chin.

"How about, behind you?" Evan quipped, placing his blade beside Aquillan's neck.

As Aquillan whipped around, Evan released a pulse of Aura energy that caused a ripple of violet light to flare behind his feet. He reappeared several feet away, evaded Aquillan's sword strike, and disappeared again. He repeated this a few more times before deciding to kick it up a notch. Evan began to circle his foe till his body became a literal blur of violet light. In response to this attack, Aquillan transformed his sword into its secondary form, a heavy assault rifle, and shot out a stream of Dust rounds while swearing profusely.

"Damn you! Stop that!"

"Since you asked so nicely…" Evan murmured as he reappeared behind Aquillan.

Aquillan's eyes widened in shock as he turned around too slow to block the devastating series of Aura-enhanced blows that tore apart his Aura.

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" He swore as he fired shots off at random.

But, Evan evaded all of Aquillan's shots, and knocked his weapon from his hands with a single blow. He disappeared once more then reappeared several yards from Aquillan, charging up the blade of Celestibus Ira with his Aura. The blade began to emit a radiant gleam of violet light that grew brighter, and brighter till it blazed as bright as the morning sun.

"It's over, Aquillan!"

A massive blast of violet light blinded the entire arena as a silhouette dashed forwards, and unleashed a supercharged cut over Aquillan's body.

As the light faded, the prince could be seen careening towards the ground. He yelled all the way down till his body formed a sizable crater in the center of the field, and he groaned in defeat. Breathing heavily, Evan released his Semblance, and sealed his weapon. The crowd was silent for a while before finally one person started clapping. As more joined in the whole arena began to fill with uproarious noise. It was a rather uncomfortable feeling, being the focus of so much attention. Nervously, Evan straightened his hair before he started to descend towards the ground. As he landed, a sound reverberated throughout the arena.

CRACK.

Evan looked up, and squinted through the bright sunlight above. That sounded like…

CRACK.

The tower. Evan's eyes narrowed as they followed the general shape of the great, rectangular slab of stone, thousands of years old, but resistant to all forms of aging, or so they had been told…

"No fucking way." Evan muttered as he sealed his weapon across the back of his waist, and noticed the cracks beginning to spread through the structure above him.

A deep groan resonated through the entire school. The crowd looked up as more groaning began till there was one final crack. And then…

The tower of the Aerie tilted slightly then began to slowly tip farther, and farther down. It seemed to take ages, but in truth it only took seconds, for the entire thing to come crashing down onto the arena. There was no time to scream, or shout. A couple of people gasped, but all of them fell silent as the great behemoth of a tower descended upon them like the sword of a god punishing an unruly people. But, the arena held firm thanks to the protective barrier above it that bore the brunt of the assault. However, several chunks of stone managed to break through, and crush the crowd below while others landed all over the field.

"Evan! Help!"

The world slowed as Evan around for the source of the noise.

"Evan, over here!"

He turned around, and spotted Aquillan with his legs trapped beneath a massive stone. Evan sprinted over towards his friend, his heart pounding at a thunderous pace in his chest. He stopped a few feet away from Aquillan, and fumbled in his pockets, struggling to find his explosive rounds before he remembered that they had been confiscated earlier. His Aura still exhausted from the exam, Evan was forced to try moving the rock with his own strength.

"Damn you! Move already!" Evan yelled as he pressed his back against the thing. Yet, no matter how hard he tried, the thing refused to budge.

"Evan…"

"Just hold on! I'll get you out of here in a second!"

"Evan!"

"Shut up, and just give me a sec! I'm not leaving you here!"

"EVAN!" Aquillan roared, grabbing his friend's leg.

Gasping for breath, Evan pushed his sweaty hair from his eyes, and looked at his friend. He tried his best to memorize how he looked in what would probably be Aquillan's final moments. Blood spread in a large puddle from where his legs were while his dark red hair was plastered to his forehead. Sweat gleamed on his deeply tanned skin as though it were oiled while his gray eyes burned with a feverish light. Aquillan wet his dark lips, and said,

"Get out of here! Go, now! There's not much time!"

"What?"

"You heard me... Do it! That tower's going to kill one of us! And, it sure as hell isn't going to be you! So, get the fuck out of here already!"

Horrified, Evan closed his eyes. The crash of rocks on multiple bodies, the groaning of the arena, and the constant screams of the crowd overwhelmed his senses. The ground shook beneath his feet, but Evan realized it was his body that was shaking not the arena. He hastily wiped a tear from his eyes, and nodded.

"Fine, but..."

"No buts! Go! Now!" Aquillan picked up a rock, and tossed it weakly towards Evan. It landed a couple of inches away from Evan's foot. Evan swallowed, and squared his shoulders.

 _Get a grip on yourself, Evan! Move! Do you want to die too?!_ He glanced at the ground exit, but saw it was jammed with hundreds of people. There was no way he could get out through there. Which meant he only had one option: the emergency exits on the upper floor that led outside the arena, and into open air. Evan snapped out his wings, and sealed his weapon across the back of his waist. He purposefully turned away from his friend before flapping his wings furiously till he rose into the air. He glanced down briefly, but a cloud of smoke blocked his friend from view. As he neared the top, the barrier crackled, and sparked above him, but it continued to block the tower.

Evan flew towards the very top of the arena then turned towards a nearby wall. _There should be an emergency exit up here, somewhere…_ He turned to the side, and spotted it: A rusted metal door in the wall with a small ledge outside of it. Evan landed on this ledge, and pulled the door open. It creaked noisily as Evan wrenched it open, and took in a breath of the cold mountain air.

The barrier sparked once more, and flickered briefly. The crowd screamed, and shouts of pain and anger began to fill the arena. Tearing his eyes away from the scene below, Evan jumped out, and dove out of the arena. The wind whistled, and snapped past his face as he fell towards the ground. He waited for a few seconds before extending his wings, and slowing his descent enough that he could rise upwards.

As he flew past the arena, he saw the mountain the Aerie was built on top of shaking back, and forth as a titanic force ran through its roots. Dozens of tiny figures ran, some flew, but few could escape as the tower finally crashed through the arena. Chunks of rock flew through the air, forcing Evan to swerve left and right as he ascended higher. Below him, an enormous cloud of smoke poured forth from the ruins, and forced him to cover his mouth with one arm.

 _Goodbye... Aquillan._ Evan thought as he watched the smoke stream down the mountainside. Coughing from the smoke, Evan gazed up at the mountains above the Aerie to see cracks tearing their way through the mountains with red light blazing from within them. An earthshaking roar echoed from somewhere deep within the rock as the cracks spread farther, and farther up its surface. Another explosion blasted Evan across the sky, and sent him plummeting towards the ground. Pain erupted from his left arm as Evan twisted to the side, but he managed to keep flying. Sailing over the orchard, Evan looked back, and saw a horrific sight.

The red glow from the cracks reached a crescendo as the mountains were ripped apart by some internal force. From within their shattered remains, four reptilian bone-covered heads emerged. Eight red eyes flared into existence while a clawed arm the size of a warship tore apart the landscape, and sent more bits of the mountain all over the world below. Screams filled the air as Grimm poured forth from the holes in the mountains. Ursai, Beowolves, Creeps, and all sorts of monstrosities that Evan couldn't even imagine existing before now. One such creature was an apelike beast with twelve arms that ripped apart its victims before gobbling them down. Another was a rabbit-like creature with blades for fingers that skewered anything that got too close before greedily devouring it.

Turning away from the spectacle, Evan continued to fly away till he arrived at the town of Atlia. He landed in a crumpled heap in the streets. The air was no longer cool, and fresh, but freezing and stagnant. Gasping for breath, Evan got to his feet. Then, he heard more screaming, this time all around him. He looked up, and just barely rolled out of the way as a Griffin flew past him, and grabbed a young girl. It swallowed her whole, and dove down again for another meal.

 _The Grimm are spreading this fast?_

Evan swore upon realizing this, and ran down the streets of the town. Unfortunately, a massive crowd of people running for their lives prevented him taking off. Apparently, there had been some sort of festival going on when the attack began which was why so many people were around him. Discarded streamers, and bouquets of flowers littered the ground along with shattered wine glasses, paper plates, and plastic cutlery. Most of the people around him were also dressed in formal clothing, unfit for running away. _This was a wedding party_. Evan realized, a lump forming in his throat. What should have been the happiest day in a person's life had now become the worst in a matter of minutes. Behind him, Evan heard someone scream, and cry for help as another Griffin swooped down, and carried them off in its claws. A guttural roar behind the crowd alerted them to the presence of even larger Grimm charging through the streets. Screams of agony soon filled the air along with the crunch of bones, and the wet sound of flesh tearing.

As his lungs began to burn, Evan spotted a nearby alley, and he rounded the corner to sprint down its length. It ended in a dead end, but there were no people down it. He spread his wings, and was about to take to the air when a hand grabbed his. He looked behind him, and spotted a small, dark-haired girl gripping his hand.

"Take me with you!" She held out her arms, motioning for Evan to pick her up.

 _I can't just leave her here._ Reluctantly, Evan swept her off her feet, and held her in his arms. He snapped out his wings, and immediately took off. As they flew over the rooftops of the town of Atlia, Evan sighted hordes of Grimm from the mountains destroying the town. Bodies flew through the air as Boarbatusks tossed people to and fro while Goliaths stampeded past town square. A screech to their left forced Evan to dodge a large Nevermore. It circled around the town, and came back towards them. He had to get them as far away from here as possible. Evan landed on a nearby rooftop, and dropped the girl from his arms. He placed both hands on her shoulder, and looked into her eyes.

"Stay here, okay? I'll promise that I'll be back."

The girl nodded, and chirped, "Come back soon!"

Evan nodded, and unfurled his wings before taking to the skies. He unsealed his weapon, and released four bolts at the Nevermore in quick succession. Two of them made their mark, but they did little to sway the gigantic beast. It was going to take more than a couple of stun bolts to kill it. The creature shrieked, and dived towards Evan. Evan folded his wings into his back, and plummeted towards to the ground to evade the blow. As he did this, Evan noticed that the sun was beginning to set, but it was barely noticeably thanks to the enormous cloud of flying Grimm that were almost completely blocking the sun from view.

 _Even if I kill this thing, a dozen more will replace it._ Evan realized as he rose once more to face his foe. Knowing this, Evan began to lead the Grimm towards the screaming crowds below. As he landed amongst them, the Nevermore was drawn to their fear, and immediately grabbed several people in its beak. It snapped them up like fish before circling around for another attack. Evan jumped up to fly away, but there was a sharp pain in his side, and his body hurtled through the air. Ten. Twenty. Thirty. Forty meters. Evan covered his face and neck just barely in time as shards of glass cut apart his pants, and left bloody gashes on his forearms. Groaning, Evan groggily got to his feet, and watched as the Grimm surrounded the crowd, and devoured them. Sickened, he turned away from the window, and staggered through a dusty classroom.

The desks were all piled up against the corner, and the curtains were drawn back to let the sun in. He noticed the elongated cracks in the plaster on the ceiling as well as over the walls. The floor was unpainted concrete, and he could feel the chill it emitted through the soles of his boots. _This classroom feels more like a museum than a school._ Evan thought as he ran a finger over the peeling wallpaper behind the teacher's tiny desk. He had to keep moving. Picking out several chunks of glass from his hair, he opened the door, and limped out into the hallway. Most of the windows were locked shut, but Evan managed to find one that wasn't. Kicking it open, he clambered onto the windowsill, and spread his wings wide.

Suddenly, the earth shook as a gargantuan beast unleashed a deafening roar. Evan froze where he was, stopping himself in mid-flight. He landed on the roof, and spotted the girl from earlier nearby. As he picked her up in his arms, the earth trembled as something slammed into it. Barely a second later, something else did the same. The third time, the buildings nearby began to collapse. The remnants of the crowd gazed in horror upon the sight of a Grimm so large that its heads disappeared into the clouds above.

Grimm flew around its body, circling it like a halo of ungodly power. The beast's body stretched hundreds of feet beyond the town, its weight supported by eight powerful legs, and two forelegs with five-clawed hands. A gust of wind knocked the crowd off its feet as the beast lowered its neck, its monstrous, reptilian head burning with scarlet light from the four eyes on either side of it. Its lower jaw bisected as it unleashed a single, powerful breath that stripped the nearest buildings of their walls, and tore the crowd into bloody pieces.

Horrified, Evan immediately took off. As he flew, he felt the girl shake in his arms. Evan's wings were furiously pumping the air as he raced across the treetops of the deciduous forest beyond Atlia. Behind him, the beast began to lumber its way out of the northern regions of Valor, and towards the coast. They couldn't stop though, several times Evan narrowly dodged an attack by a flying Grimm, but he managed to keep ahead of them.

 _Faster, dammit!_

Yet, Evan could feel fatigue began to wear him down. His wings grew heavier with each stroke, and the Grimm were absolutely relentless. As his eyes began to droop, Evan felt a strange warmth rain down on him from above. Fearing it was a Grimm, Evan unleashed a powerful downbeat of his wings. All of a sudden, the warmth peaked, and became a blazing inferno that sent a massive surge of energy through his exhausted body. Evan felt his strength return, and his eyes snapped open. His wings were _on fire_. Evan almost stopped flying there and then, but he didn't. This boost was no doubt temporary, he needed to use it while he could. With another two strokes of his wings, the view of the snowy forest of dead trees became distorted before spinning around him. Evan felt the tendons on his back and shoulders strain briefly before he was propelled forward at such a speed that he heard a resounding _boom_ behind him. His world snapped, shattered, and broke apart as he shot forwards in a straight line. And in that instant, Evan felt like he had become the wind itself...

* * *

As they soared past at a small farm, Evan dropped the shivering girl from his arms, and folded his wings into his back. Smoke poured from the pores of his skin, and he stank of blood, sweat, and death. He glanced at the girl who was watching their surroundings constantly. He blinked. She wasn't a girl anymore. In her place, a slim, strong teenager sat across from him. She looked equally exhausted, and Evan noticed an odd white glow surrounding her hands. She clenched her fists, and pressed them into the snow. Coils of smoke hissed around her bare, pale gold arms. As she pulled them out, she helped him to his feet, and together they walked towards the farm...

* * *

 _One Year Later..._

"Reports are still coming in of even more of these so-called "super-Grimm" emerging from mountains all over the world. Scientists and geologists are both unable to give concrete answers for this phenomenon while authorities struggle to contain the seemingly endless hordes of Grimm spawned by these monstrosities. The current death toll has risen into the thousands while officials ask the public to remain in their designated emergency shelters till further notice. The weather has also changed drastically with the worldwide winter expected to continue for several more months. Meanwhile, the White Fang are –."

The TV abruptly cut off. Evan gave a grateful look to the thickset bartender who nodded at him. Swirling his drink with a spoon, Evan took another sip of his morning coffee. The Twisted Whore was, despite its name, a hospitable environment for wayward criminals such as himself. Criminals. Evan shook his head to rid himself of that thought. He wasn't a criminal, but the world certainly thought he was. After escaping the destruction of the Aerie, Evan learned that he had been framed for causing the structure to collapse. Grainy security footage before the Aerie's fall showed him building a gigantic bomb in the forges, and timing it to go off right when the exam ended. His reasons? Nobody knew for certain, but they did know that he had a handsome price on his head. A wanted man, Evan fled along with the young girl he met a year earlier. A few months ago, they were separated due to a run-in with the authorities that ended with both of them on the run. He hadn't seen her since... Evan sighed, and took another sip of his coffee as he watched the comings and goings at the Twisted Whore to take his mind off such depressing thoughts.

The building was dimly lit by a wood fireplace situated in one of the walls, and candles placed along the mantelpiece, as well as on the tables. All electrical lighting and heating had been shut off as per the Kingdom's orders, so candles and fireplaces were often the only source of heat and light. The thick wooden walls, and log cabin structure gave the whole place a homey feel that made travelers feel safer, at least for a time. Since most rooms were freezing cold, people slept in the lobby, or the dining area. Some had even set up tents, and shops. The inn was one of the few places with indoor heating, after all so business was booming. For now, at least.

Brushing his newly dyed hair from his eyes, Evan added another sugar cube to his coffee, and began stirring it rapidly. After surviving the attack at the Aerie, Evan changed his entire look. He got rid of his graphic tee, and replaced it with a simple, sleeveless black shirt while his old khakis were replaced with gray cargo pants, and his trench coat with a hooded, blue thermal jacket. He also cut his hair, and he wore it short, save for his bangs which lay over his eyes. He then dyed it a dark blonde with black highlights running through it. He also wore red contacts that changed his eye color to a violet-blue. All in all, he felt confident that few people would recognize him, particularly after the deep tan he just got the other day. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes, and was just about to light one when a quiet voice spoke from his left.

"Mind if I sit next to you?"

Cigarette in mouth, Evan gave a muffled reply as he motioned for a dark-haired woman wearing a silver Grimm mask to take the high seat beside him. She sat down, and the bartender gave her a brief look.

"The usual, I presume?"

She nodded.

The bartender grunted, and disappeared into the back. He reappeared with a glass of iced water, and placed it beside a white teacup. He sighed as he looked under the counter before going into the back once more, muttering incomprehensibly.

"Come here often?" Evan asked, taking out his cigarette to blow a puff of smoke to the side.

She looked at him, her mask hiding her expression from his view completely. It was rather unnerving. Not to mention, the fact that her hand automatically went to the massive sword strapped to the side of her waist.

"Um, never mind." Evan went back to his breakfast, trying to be as neat as possible as he ate his bowl of lukewarm oatmeal.

 _Not much of a talker, I guess._ Evan thought as he spooned another mouthful of mushed oats into his mouth. _Ugh. I should have eaten this sooner before I took a drag._ He squished out his cigarette in the ash tray before wiping his mouth on his sleeve. _Whoops, that's not very neat. Well, I tried._

Evan got up, and felt a hand grab his shoulder. The grip was firm, but not too hard. Turning around he spotted the raven-haired woman sipping her recently arrived cup of tea while keeping one hand on Evan's shoulder.

"I'd like to talk with you, Mr. Angelus."

Evan blinked, but wasn't surprised. _She must be a bounty hunter or something, judging by how decked out her gear is._ Evan nodded, and replied,

"About?"

"A job I'd like you to help me with. If you can do it, then I can offer you a once-in-a-lifetime chance at redemption."

"Oh?" Evan turned around fully causing the woman to remove her hand from his shoulder, and take another sip of her tea. "And, what do you know about me? I don't need redemption for anything."

"What about the Aerie? I've heard there's quite a price on your head for that little incident of yours."

 _How the hell did she know that?_ He stepped forward, and leaned against the counter, one leg crossed over the other.

"Okay, you have my interest."

"Meet me at the western entrance to the town in one hour. Then, we'll talk privately."

"Fine by me." Evan held out a hand, and the woman took it. Her hand was surprisingly warm even if it felt like he was shaking hands with a dying fish. "Can I get a name?"

"Raven Branwen."

 _Never heard of her_. Evan released Raven's hand, and turned away. As he walked towards the door, Evan couldn't help but wonder what this woman could possibly offer that might give him a chance to clear his name once and for all...

 _ *****A/N: I divided the chapter into two parts. Was a bit much to read, so I figured it made sense to do that. Also, if you want to know more about the inspiration for the designs/origins of the characters seen so far, check out my DeviantArt. I'll be posting that information in character bios some time in the future. As usual, feedback is always appreciated. Till next time, blaze on, people.*****_


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